Preaching to the Unconverted

Hi Everyone,

I’ve been doing my best preaching and carrying Chris’ and others message to the unconverted with some success and I’m actually considering compiling all my information into a quasi-presentation. I have a big family and could start there but I’d be interested to hear how others have gone about this. How they might have convinced there friends, family, and spouses. Sharing information is one thing but it’s quite another challenge to convince people to start preparing for self sufficiency when they can still turn on their tap and get water for example.

I do not intend for me or my family to be left out in the cold when I know better and when so much could be done little by little.

Re: preaching to the unconverted

I gave up. Too much wasted energy. I’ll plant the seed and direct them to what I view as necessary info like CM.com, but unless I get a spark of interest on their part i’m done until the seed sprouts.

[/quote]

Amen to that! From my experience if someone is interested then they will want info and you can then help by sharing what you’ve learned. But until you are dealing with an open mind and is willing to listen you’re wasting your time.

Re: preaching to the unconverted

[quote=nex_s]

Hi Everyone,

I’ve been doing my best preaching and carrying Chris’ and others message to the unconverted with some success and I’m actually considering compiling all my information into a quasi-presentation. I have a big family and could start there but I’d be interested to hear how others have gone about this. How they might have convinced there friends, family, and spouses. Sharing information is one thing but it’s quite another challenge to convince people to start preparing for self sufficiency when they can still turn on their tap and get water for example.

I do not intend for me or my family to be left out in the cold when I know better and when so much could be done little by little.

Thanks

nex_s

[/quote]

Hi Nex,

I am glad that you have had some success. I must say that my efforts with family and co-workers have not been very productive. Perhaps you could tell us how you managed to get some postive feedback and good results.

Re: preaching to the unconverted

Nex_s

Keep in mind that your friends and family have spent a lifetime buying into and believing in the system we currently live. You won’t be able to undo in one evening what they have learned over a lifetime. But there still is value in giving them a presentation. Next time there is an oil shock, for example, they’ll remember what you’ve presented to them, and hopefully they’ll begin to connect the dots. Many people get the “messiah” syndrome (as Jack Spirko of the Survival Podcast calls it) when they learn the information contained in the crash course.. but going around and giving prophecy just doesn’t seem to work.

When you present your info, I’d remain unemotional and objective. Getting excited gives the impression to others that you’re a wacko. I’ve learned that the hard way. At first my mom thought I had developed a psychiatric disorder and my Dad thought I probably had a brain tumor… no kidding. But recently, they did acknowledge to me that the price of gold has gone pretty high…Hmmm. The only person I’ve really convinced is my wife and my father in law, but that has come after talking about it night after night over the past two years.

If you want to do a talk on peak oil, I think that the Peak Oil Primer is a shorter presentation that may give you some ideas. http://www.postpeakliving.com/peak-oil-primer# . You may also want to mention that over the past year, many “legitimate” institutions now recognized that peak oil is real, including the US Dept of Defense, the German military, UK task force etc. Id use the example of Gulf oil spill. I’d pitch to them “why the heck are they drilling 5,000 feet under the ocean, and another 20,000 feet into the earth’s crust if their is any easy and cheap oil left. heck that’s like climbing Mt. Everest to look for oil”

The only real talking I do to others outside my family is common sense dollars and cents. I encourage people to consider home gardening planting fruit trees, etc. While people know nothing about peak oil, and little about inflation, monetary policy, etc, they do recognize that food is getting expensive. I inform others that, by the way, I grew about $250 worth of tomatoes this year and it was quite easy. and by the way, no pesticides/herbicides, and it was kind of fun. I use the example of my parents avocado tree in California. That tree has produced about 300-400 avocados per year. In dollar terms, thats at least $500-600 worth of fruit.

Re: Preaching to the Unconverted

Same way as you preach anything else …. With firm conviction . Tell them the truth ( we do not have all the answers but this is how it could fall apart ) and what you plan on doing about it . You say we can get a lot further if we have a support system worked out . And if we are wrong what have we to lose ? It is all usable stuff . You are not asking them for money….. just to think about the possibility of some potential bad circumstances ahead and how you all might deal with it .

Re: Preaching to the Unconverted

Re: preaching to the unconverted

Bluestone

Presenting things in an unemotional and objective way and as Full Moon says with conviction is excellent advice. I also appreciate the idea of planting the seed and wating for them to ask for more information and also understand the frustration.

I think one of the best analogies that we face trying to get the word out, was presented by Richard Heinberg in his book “Power Down”. He describes how sometimes he feels like he’s on a raft with everyone (society) and some people on the raft are trying to plug a hole, while others have guns throwing some people overboard, while most are just kind of milling about. At times he finds himself screaming to the top of his lungs that the raft is going to sink and many look at him like he’s crazy and after minutes and hours pass, the raft remains afloat and he now too wonders whether he’s crazy and ultimately feels a bit foolish for ever making a scene in the first place. He looks around seeing how the raft is sinking and damaged in some parts but somehow it still stays afloat, but how?

Sometimes I feel how Richard feels and you’d like to be able to give people a defined time for collapse so you can bolster your convictions. But it can’t be done and furthermore, speculating a timeframe that is days or even months in the near future or simply saying “we’re in for a hell of a ride in ‘the near’ future” will only help to reinforce their idea that you’re crazy if the specified time passes without a major catastrophe.

Where I’ve seen the most success is via emails and talking when the opportunity arises. Besides highlighting the bigger picture of things to come, I touch on one or two pertinent news stories or documentaries from this site or others I subscribe to like Mike Rupperts collapsenet.com. We usually see stories or commentaries here that present the real story which don’t show up in the MSM or societal consciousness for days and in many case weeks or months. When those I’ve spoke to hear it from the MSM, that’s when they will potentially connect the dots or at least begin to realize that what I was saying had merit.

I was able to get a couple of people to watch the Crash Course and hopefully others will eventually want to see it. I also really like the 3 part series by Damon on the monetary system. Though I’ve watched and read a ba-billion sources of information I find people will be more apt to watch a a 30 minutes video than to spend the same amount of time reading.

Though I’m frustrated at times I feel that we’re in for a rough ride and a rude awakening. I think of it this way; If I was truly convinced or otherwise lead to believe that in two hours the WTC was going to be destroyed, would I not make every effort to warn people and help them get out of harms way? As I see it we have that opportunity to forwarn people about the coming collapse and should exercise it.

Ulitimately, some will not listen or won’t have the means to prepare but I’ll do my best to have extra on hand so I can afford to be charitable.